IPL 2026 | Wasim Jaffer's RCB XI: Phil Salt out; Jacob Bethell to open with Virat Kohli
Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has revealed his strongest playing XI for Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2026. Jaffer opted for Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell as openers, with Rajat Patidar captaining at No. 3.
The XI features a mix of established players and new additions, including Venkatesh Iyer and Tim David in the middle order.
Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has picked his strongest playing XI for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which begins on March 28. While RCB have largely retained their core, a few notable additions — Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy and Jacob Bethell — along with Devdutt Padikkal’s impressive form in the lead-up to the season, have given the team management plenty to think about while finalising their XI. In a video shared on X, Jaffer opted for former captain Virat Kohli and the in-form Bethell — who impressed in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026 — as his opening pair.
Notably, he left out Phil Salt, despite the Englishman playing a key role in RCB’s title-winning campaign last season. Salt has struggled for form recently, managing just 130 runs in eight matches at the World Cup, including one half-century. Jaffer slotted skipper Rajat Patidar at No.
3, followed by all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer at No. 4, highlighting the importance of maintaining a left-right combination at the top. At No.